


Return

by silvardepoch



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Time Skip, Reunions, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 20:39:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3583227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvardepoch/pseuds/silvardepoch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of the signs and storefronts had been changed, the roads repaved, but the fresh air and gentle chatter was the same.</p><p>He was home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bhgeorge19](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bhgeorge19/gifts).



Of course, none of the other passengers paid much attention to him when he got off the train, but that was the point. His clothes were a little nicer and more styled than what the other guys back at work wore, but nothing that would break the bank and only because of judicious ironing and following of the cleaning instruction.

Setting his luggage down on the platform, Kou closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Some of the signs and storefronts had been changed, the roads repaved, but the fresh air and gentle chatter was the same.

He was home.

*

"What are your plans for your visit, young master?"

It wasn't his parents who asked him, nor was it Sachiko, who was engrossed in her homework even though she insisted on sitting with him at the table, but the elderly housekeeper who had been present when he was adopted and present when he left for university.

"Not much," Kou said with a smile. He grabbed a glass of water and brought it to his lips, tipped it to drink but did not. He put it down. "I think I'll take a walk. Take in the sights, see what's changed."

"Oh, not very much," the housekeeper said as she poured some tea. "The shopping district is doing a bit better between Junes partnering to sell local goods and the Amagi Inn encouraging guests to visit, but this is the sleepy town it'll always be." She smiled. "But isn't that sometimes a good thing?"

"I suppose." Kou stood up. In another room, someone was watching a news report about a possible freeway extension being built near Inaba. "I'll be back in a bit," he said as he walked over to the door and slipped on his shoes.

*

She had undersold the health of the shopping district. Though not bustling by any means, there were people walking around the streets, in and out of stores, climbing and descending the steps to visit the shrine unheard of ten years ago. Kou's stomach growled as he walked past the familiar scent of Aiya. The city didn't have food half as good.

Kou stopped when he began reaching the outskirts of the shopping district. There it was. Nagase Auto Repairs, looking the same as he remembered. There was the owner under a car fixing it. Kou brushed the creases off his shirt and walked over. "Hello, Mister Nagase. Is—"

The man came out from under the car and it was not Daisuke's father. It was Daisuke, his hair receding a little further, more muscular—that much was clear even in his oil-stained jumpsuit—but the same Daisuke.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't know—hi, Daisuke. How have you been?"

Daisuke gave Kou and odd look before leaning back down to get back to work. "Fine."

Kou looked around the shop. None of it was any more familiar to him now than it had been. "It's been a while."

"Yeah."

"What have you been up to? I guess you work for the shop now?"

Clinking.

"I work for an advertising agency now. I just do office work right now, but I'm hoping I can move up a little. It's still early."

"That's good to hear."

Kou shuffled a foot on the ground. "Hey, I know that we—"

"I really have to finish this. Can we talk later?"

"Ah." Kou took a step back and rubbed his arm. "Alright. I'll talk to you later."

*

"So what's university like? I'm still waiting to hear back from my schools! I don't think I can take it!"

Daisuke paused at the top of the stairs just outside the doors to the residential area above the shop. Toshi, his little brother, usually went over to his friends.

His stomach dropped when he heard the other party laugh. "It's nothing too interesting. It's kind of like starting work, actually. I'm sure you'll be fine—"

Daisuke opened the door, taking care to let in bang against the wall. Toshi stood up, but Kou stayed in his chair, though he did at least turn around to acknowledge Daisuke.

"Daisuke!" Toshi moved over to the door, rubbing the spot that the doorknob had hit. "You're going to leave a dent! Mom and dad will kill you, and then they'll kill me because I was here and didn't do anything to stop you!"

"What are you doing here?" Daisuke asked Kou.

Kou tried to smile, then thankfully stopped and looked down at the floor before standing up. "You said you wanted to talk later, yesterday. Well, it's later now."

Daisuke said nothing and folded his arms over his chest. Toshi continued fretting over the damage that could have been done to the house.

Kou frowned. "You look good," he said, and it sounded sincere.

"You too," Daisuke said. "Expensive."

Kou rubbed his arm the way he did when he was nervous and looked around. "Did you want to… get something to eat? I've been craving Aiya like you wouldn't know! Or, want a drink? I can—"

"You don't have to treat me. I can pay for my own drink."

"Well," Toshi said, coming over, "you didn't cause any damage, but you really need to be more gentle, Daisuke. If—"

Toshi cut himself off when Daisuke walked out the door and down the stairs.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Kou chuckled lightly and patted Toshi's shoulder. "You just need to learn how to read the room. I'm sure that's something you'll learn in uni."

*

"God, I had no idea they were still friends," Kou whispered as Hanako and Ms. Kashiwagi walked by their table and left the cafe. "Kind of heartwarming, I guess." He looked down at his parfait and laughed. "Sorry for getting something so frou frou. I was just craving something sweet, I guess."

Daisuke remained leaning in his chair, occasionally reaching over to sip at his beer.

"You know," Kou said, digging his spoon into the whipped cream, "I had no idea they sold alcohol at this cafe. Or this early."

"A man can drink whenever he wants, right?"

Kou grinned and pointed his spoon at Daisuke. "He speaks! I thought you were going to sit there and nurse your drink all day."

Daisuke put his drink back down on the table, stood up, and walked out the door, up the hill toward the shrine. Kou, sputtering a little, stood up as well, grimaced at the waitress by means of apology, making sure to leave payment on the table, then followed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kou asked as he caught up with Daisuke and grabbed his sleeve. Daisuke nearly snarled as he tore his arm away.

"I—" He was shouting, but he forced himself to whisper. "Who the hell do you think you are? You just come back after not talking to me for years and just expect things to be the same?"

Kou's face drained of color. "I—look, I know we kind of drifted apart, but that happens, and I want to reconnect. And besides, what happened to you? We were keeping up communication and you just dropped it off suddenly."

"I tried lots of time! You just stopped replying."

"That is bullshit. I checked me email, my texts, my phone, every social network we share, and you just stopped. In fact…" Kou bit his lip but pressed on. "I'm pretty sure you blocked me on some of them. I tried reaching out to you and none of the sites would let me get through to you. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"I am not!"

"Tell me the truth!"

"Because you're better off without me!"

Kou's eyes widened and for the first time since he had seen him, Daisuke looked defeated. "I saw just how well you were doing, and I thought… you've got all that great stuff happening in your life, and here's me, a guy in the country, still living with his parents, working at an autoshop. What have I done with my life?"

"An autoshop is a good place to work."

Daisuke laughed mirthlessly and looked away. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better."

His eyes widened when he felt Kou take him into an embrace and he felt Kou's head in the crook of his neck.

"You're an idiot," Kou muttered.

Daisuke smiled a little. "I know," he said as he returned the embrace.

"I'm here now," Kou said, "and I want to see you again tomorrow, and the next day, every day that I'm here for this trip, and when I get back, I want to keep seeing from you and hearing from you, because you're my…"

The wind rustled the bushes and trees flanking the shrine steps and the sun was bright in the clear, blue sky.


End file.
